Ezekiel 4:14 But I said, ‘Oh, Lord God, I’ve never been defiled. From my youth until now I haven’t eaten anything that died naturally or was mauled by wild beasts. And impure meat has never entered my mouth.’

God commanded Ezekiel to bake bread cooked over a fire fueled by human excrement. Ezekiel was repulsed by the idea so he responded, “Not so, Lord!” He had never defiled himself. He kept all the dietary and sanitary laws so this seemed disgusting to him.

What’s interesting is that Ezekiel’s cleanliness had nothing to do with the message God wanted to convey to the Israelites. Yet all Ezekiel could see was how God’s command would affect him personally. God wanted to show the Israelites how defiled Jerusalem had become. It was a warning, it was not about Ezekiel.

In the story, God in His mercy, grants Ezekiel’s request. He allows Ezekiel to bake his bread using cow poop instead. God is so kind and understanding.

We can make the same mistake at times; we can fall prey to being more concerned about our reputation than God’s glory. There may be a time when God calls you to do something that will affect your standing with your peers or your reputation in the world.